A Half Century on the River

Well I've been back a few days but have only been able to jump on the computer here and there. In 45min House is on, Little Boy is in bed reading but I still have to get Little Miss there, so what I don't get written right now just has to wait.

The couple of days away was fairly relaxing (I wrote about my father's place a while ago (here) if you want to read about where "away" is...). One of my sisters informed me that it was the first time I'd been down to see them without Little Boy. Once I started to think about that it kinda spun me out. In just over 8yrs I've not been "away" without the boy, mind you he's been down plenty of times without me. I had Tom there to (at least sometimes) act like the child I was missing.

My mind was also spinning at the fact that the main reason I was there was for Dad's 50th b'day. My Mum informed me that he'd told her she was "over the hill" at age 26 and that I could now return the message to him. I've never thought of my Dad as old (not that 50 is all that old) but it's such a nice round number it's only natural to think about it now. There are other times though, when I think he seems well and truly past the half century. There was one moment (or three) while I was there, I wondered if early onset dementia hadn't kicked in. On being asked about CD's he might be interested in he proceeded to tell us, in a long-winded rant, that he needed the CD put on, play/record hit on the tape deck and the music put on cassette. When asked why, his only response was something about being able to listen to it while my sisters weren't home to use the cd player for him.

I was also reminded that he is relatively young to have a 27yr old daughter, he was a grandfather at 41. Each time I go down for a party I'm introduced to people, some I've known for up to twenty years. For some it is a simple reminder, or a reminder to me that I'll never be a local like the rest of them. I've come to the realisation that I will always be the "forgotten daughter". Some remember me as a child or as the rebellious teen (helped by my father's stories of being called to the vice principal's office) who left the small town for the big city.

I've been sidetracked... where was I.. oh yes, the weekend and the party..

The weekend started out with a day in town. The typical small-town markets and walking around for a few photos (playing with new toy). We ended up in the park to watch the music which was part of the "River of Art festival" we'd unknowingly arrived in time for. The only thing of note to come from that was seeing The Spooky Men perform, the first time wasn't bad anyway. Oh and the whining of Tom that his "hot chocolate was too hot" and so he couldn't return to the park to see a former "party pash" perform was amusing. The latter part of the afternoon was spent watching my sisters play hockey. It was the first time I'd seen them play and as hockey was never a sport I played, or had any involvement in, I had no clue what was happening and Tom wasn't any help. But we endured the freezing wind and sat shivering through the entire game.

We got home to dinner being cooked by friends who'd arrived from Canberra that afternoon. It didn't seem at all strange to me that when we all left the house that morning it wasn't locked (it never is). The visitors let themselves in when they arrived, revved up the stove and put some wood in to begin getting dinner. The suggestion alone of leaving a house unlocked in most places would result in stakeouts and break-ins by the laziest of crooks.

That'd be bloody right.. House is a repeat.. but the kids are in bed..

Sunday was party day. I have fond memories of "River parties" as a kid. Everyone who was anyone along the dirt road to town would get together for birthdays, or any other excuse. It was always BYO grog and meat for the barbie. The adults would all sit around the place chatting and telling stories, while us kids would run around sneaking bottles of beer nobody missed and laughing at our parents as the night grew late. The atmosphere was always very relaxed, we were hardly ever told what to do, afterall we couldn't really go further than the river (nor would we want to after dark, it could be more than a little creepy). Things haven't changed all that much in the last twenty years. I don't have to sneak beers anymore, I can take my own grog.

So anyway, we made it home Monday afternoon in plenty of time for me to pick up Little Boy from school and take him to swimming. I've had Little Miss since yesterday afternoon and will have her 'til tomorrow sometime. I'll also be picking up my new computer tomorrow!

Depending on just how much time I spend playing with my new toys and working out what the hell I'm doing.. I should have some photos up within a few days (nothing exciting mind you). There you have it, the past weekend summed up into a boring little blog entry, only a few days too late.

:-)